Anoushka Shankar Bashes Air India For Mishandling & Damaging Her Sitar That She's Owned For 17 Years

Internationally celebrated sitar maestro Anoushka Shankar has criticised Air India after discovering that her sitar was badly damaged following a recent flight. The musician, who had opted to fly with the airline after several years, expressed deep disappointment over what she described as shocking and avoidable negligence.

‘How Could This Happen?’ Musician shares heartbreaking video

Shankar took to Instagram to reveal the extent of the damage, uploading an emotional video describing the moment she realised something was wrong. She shared that her instrument initially seemed merely out of tune, but when she picked it up to play, she found significant structural damage.

According to her, she had invested in specialised cases and even paid the airline’s handling fee, yet none of it protected the instrument. Visibly upset, Shankar questioned how an airline from the country where the sitar originates could allow such harm. She also emphasised that this was the first incident of its kind in nearly two decades of flying with various airlines worldwide.

Musician says damage shows “Willful Disregard”

The artist expressed not just frustration but emotional distress, pointing out the cultural value of the sitar and the personal connection musicians share with their instruments. In her caption, she wrote that the incident left her “devastated,” adding that in thousands of flights, not even a tuning peg had been disturbed, until now. She also noted that she had chosen to fly Air India with optimism, only to be let down.

As of the latest update, Air India has not issued any public response or clarification regarding the mishandling.

About Anoushka Shankar

Anoushka Shankar is a globally recognised sitar player and composer known for her innovative blend of Indian classical music with global genres. Born in London and raised between the UK, India, and the United States, she is the daughter and disciple of the legendary sitar maestro Pandit Ravi Shankar. Over the years, she has released seven solo studio albums, collaborated with artists across jazz, Western classical, flamenco, and electronica, and earned fourteen Grammy nominations, making her one of the most prominent Indian-origin musicians on the world stage.

Beyond her music, Shankar is actively involved in advocacy and humanitarian work, particularly in women’s rights and refugee support, adding to her stature as both an artist and a global citizen.